Onboard control computers have become prevalent in motor vehicles, but as safety, economy, and emissions requirements have continued to tighten, friction braking systems, and traction control devices have not met the requirements set out in government regulations and the implicit demands of competitors' achievements. Successive generations of onboard control computers have acquired increasing data sensing and retention capability as the electronics have advanced.
Present external diagnostic and display apparatus, known as diagnostic tools, are commonly limited to reporting the data acquired by the onboard control computer itself. Increasingly, subtle subsystem failures in vehicles overload the ability of maintenance technicians, not simply to read the faults detected and stored by the diagnostic tools themselves, but to combine those readings with peripheral measurements and deduce corrective actions with both speed and accuracy.
Currently in the automotive industry, there are both stand alone and hand-held diagnostic testers or tools used in connection with motor vehicle maintenance and repair. For example, hand-held diagnostic tools have been used to trouble-shoot faults associated with vehicular control units. Diagnostic tools detect faults based on Diagnostic Trouble Codes or DTCs that are set in the vehicle's onboard control computer. A DTC can be triggered and stored when there is a problem with the vehicle. A technician then retrieves the DTC using a diagnostic tool, repairs the associated problem and then deletes the DTC from the vehicle's computer.
The current diagnostic tools are limited in the input and output multimedia capabilities, thus limiting the usefulness of the diagnostic tool for a user. The limits on the current tools output capabilities include, for example, problems with the method of indicating the DTC. The current diagnostic tools show the DTC on a basic display that is capable of viewing only when a user directly looks at the diagnostic tool. The user must be in close proximity and in viewing distance from the diagnostic tool. For example, when a diagnostic tool detects a DTC, a user must directly view the tool in order to see the DTC readout. If a user is unable to view or has difficulty in seeing the diagnostic tool, there is a problem with obtaining the readout on the tool. There is a need to remotely use the diagnostic tool that present tools are unable to provide. The limitations of the output methods of today's diagnostic tools, creates certain burdens upon the user including the limited manners of receiving the DTC output of the diagnostic tools.
The current diagnostic tool limitations of input capabilities stem from sparse input methods. A user has to enter instructions through a keypad of the diagnostic tool. Therefore, the user must again be in close proximity to the diagnostic tool in order to enter instructions and additional data. Further, additional data may also be limited to interfaces such as a keypad. Such methods are slow and cumbersome when a plurality of instructions and data have to be entered quickly and accurately. Again, the present diagnostic tools do not include the remote capability in terms of the input of information.
The user of the diagnostic tool can be forced to use additional devices in order to supplement the limitations of the input and output methods of today's diagnostic tools. For example, if the diagnostic tool cannot perform a certain function because of the limitations in input or output, then a second device that does include the missing capabilities must be used. Further, a user is forced to receive help from a second user. For example, if the user cannot read the diagnostic tool, a second user may have to read the information and relay it to the user.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a method and apparatus that will allow enhanced capabilities to a user or technician to use a diagnostic tool to determine the output of the diagnostic tool and to input information into the diagnostic tool in a remote manner with respect to multimedia related information.